To Know One's Father
by A.E. Adelinda
Summary: In the midst of the final battle, Harry Potter faces his most difficult struggle. Little does he know, he will have help. However, it will be from the person he least expected. Paths will be chosen and secrets will be revealed. Severitus DH AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello Everyone. I finally finished a story that has been nagging my mind for quite a while. This is my first fanfic, so constructive criticism is encouraged and welcomed. However, please don't respond with flames or reviews that bash my story. I am just here to share my thoughts and ideas with people who might enjoy them. Well without further ado, here's the first chapter of To Know One's Father. **

Disclaimer: I own nothing. J.K. Rowling owns all.

_In the midst of the final battle, Harry Potter faces his most difficult struggle. Little does he know, he will have help. However, it will be from the person he least expected. Paths will be chosen and secrets will be revealed. Severitus DH AU._

To Know One's Father

Chapter 1

One summer evening, while sitting in his office, Severus Snape sipped a cup of tea and thought about what had gone wrong in the last three years. Ever since the Dark Lord had returned, he was subjected to the duties of being a spy once again. It was a frightening job, which sometimes left him on the verge of death. The Dark Lord was a sadistic man, who favoured the use of the Cruciatus curse when his followers failed to meet his demands, exactly as he requested them.

Sometimes he returned to Hogwarts without a scratch, but it was a common occurrence for Severus to spend time in the hospital wing. Every visit happened much the same way.

He would stumble into the infirmary, bleeding and in agony. Poppy went straight to work with bandages and anti-Cruciatus healing potions. Not a word was spoken from the moment he arrived in the hospital wing until the time he left, with the exception of the thanks that Severus gave Poppy when he left.

Only Poppy and Albus knew where Severus' true loyalties lay. Though in recent months, that was no longer true. Only a year earlier, he was asked to murder one of the only people that mattered to him. Only he knew the truth about Albus' demise and was forbidden from telling anyone about it until the time was right. He replaced Albus as headmaster and the job was filled with numerous difficulties.

He would have been able to run the school much as Albus had, but with the Dark Lord dispatching Amycus and Alecto Carrow to teach at Hogwarts, his moves were under constant surveillance.

On top of being watched at every corner, the other staff members knew nothing of the events that transpired between him and Albus. He received threats from Minerva and Pomona quite frequently, stating that if he should endanger the school, they would not hesitate to rise against him.

"How did I manage to get myself into this wretched mess?" He muttered to himself as he set his tea down on the table.

"You are in this situation because you remain loyal to me Severus." A voice spoke from behind him. Severus spun around to find himself face to face with the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.

"I have done everything you asked of me Albus. I turned spy for you, I allowed Potter to retrieve the sword of Gryffindor, and I even took your life at your request. What more do you want of me?" He cried at the portrait on the wall.

"There are but two things left for you to do Severus. That is all. Firstly, you must tell Harry the information regarding Horcruxes that I shared with you. Secondly, I need to share a secret with you, but I feel you should hear it from the person who has kept it for so long." Severus eyed the portrait confusedly.

"Look in the third drawer of my desk and you will find Marvolo Gaunt's ring. Turn it thrice in hand. When you have, the person who appears will tell you all you need to know." With that Albus leaned back in his chair and fell asleep.

Severus strode over to the old wooden desk and opened the third drawer. Sure enough, the obsidian stone lay in the dusty corner of the drawer. Severus plucked the stone from the drawer and held it in his hand. He turned it with his fingers three times. No sooner had he finished when he was faced with the one person he longed for and thought he would never see again.

Lily Potter stood in front of him, dark red hair flowing and green eyes brighter than ever.

"Hello Sev." She smiled at him. Severus looked at her in utter shock. He had cradled her dead body so many years ago, yet here she was in front of him.

"Lily…Is that really you?" Her green eyes me his own.

"Yes Sev. I'm here. I need to tell you something, a secret which has been kept for seventeen years. Do you remember when James and I got married and why?

"No I don't Lily, I left for a mission and when I came back you had already married Potter and you were pregnant with his child." Severus added with bitter remorse.

"That's the thing Sev." She said hesitantly. "I thought you were dead. I married James to keep myself and the child I was carrying safe."

"You were pregnant before you planned to marry him?" Severus questioned.

"I became pregnant in October, but used charms to prolong the pregnancy an extra month.

Severus thought about the time she had mentioned, along with the progression of her pregnancy. Finally, he pondered the date that Lily's child was born. Then it hit him.

"No!" He cried, sinking to his knees. "It's not possible; he is the spitting image of Potter." Lily would not meet his gaze.

"Sev, I was the charms student in our year if you remember correctly. It only took a few glamour charms to conceal Harry's true appearance. His real name is Harry James Snape and he is your son."

Severus was in complete shock. He had spent the last seventeen years hating Potter's son and the last seven years tormenting the boy at school, only to find out now that Harry was his son. He was filled with terrible regret, but also anger and the fact that such a secret was kept from him in the first place.

"Who else knew?" He questioned wearily.

"I told Albus, James, and Remus. They knew of my feelings for you and they promised to do anything to protect me."

"Why could you not tell me? I am his father."

"Sev, please don't be angry with me. You are a spy for the Order. I couldn't risk putting Harry in danger as a result of you involvement in the war. I thought that Harry, James, and I would be safe, but I was wrong."

"I was in agony when you died; you were the only person who ever cared for me. It hurt me so much to know that I would never be with you again." Severus felt a tear fall down his cheek.

"I miss you too Sev, but now you have Harry to look after."

"It will do no good when the boy has to die to destroy a Horcrux!" Severus snapped. "He isn't going to be around much longer.

"Then I suggest you find him and tell him everything he needs to know and apologize for what you have put him through. I'm sure he will forgive you." Severus smiled.

"That's the thing I miss most about you Lily, your ability to find hope and kindness in everyone you meet."

"You have plenty of kindness in you Sev; it's just hidden by your spy facade. I am afraid my time is up though Sev. I shall miss you until we meet again."

"I love you Lily!" Severus cried out as Lily's body started to fade.

"And I love you Severus. Farewell." She smiled as her spirit faded.

Severus stood and placed the stone on the desk.

"Well Severus, now you know." Severus turned once again to face the portrait of Albus Dumbledore.

"Is this what you wanted Albus? For me to have to tell my own son that he must give himself up to be killed?"

"Severus, I am truly sorry, but you know it is the only way." Albus said softly.

"Damn it Albus! It's just as I said before, you raised him like a pig for slaughter. I swore to protect him for Lily and you expect me to be okay with the fact that all of my hard work was just to keep him alive so that he could die later!"

"Severus I..." Albus was cut off by a shout of pain from the potions master. Severus clutched at his left arm. A call from the Dark Lord was the last thing he needed right now.

He swept from the office and strode down the corridors. When he reached the outside courtyard, he apparated to Malfoy Manor.

The Dark Lord stood in the center of his followers. Upon seeing Severus, the Dark Lord greeted him cordially.

"Severus, how nice of you to join us. We were just planning our attack on Hogwarts. I have no doubt that it will only be a matter of time before Harry Potter returns to Hogwarts."

"When we attack the school, we will kill every last man, woman and child who should stand in our way until Harry Potter surrenders to us. When he does, I will kill him.

_No! _Severus thought. _I need to find my son and tell him everything. _

Now my loyal followers, once we attack the castle... Oh this is interesting." The Dark Lord turned and locked his cold gaze on Severus. "Would you mind sharing your traitorous thoughts with everyone else?"

_Damn! How could I have been so foolish?_ Severus cursed himself. He had picked the worst time to lose focus while occluding his mind.

"Perhaps you would like to tell all of us how you have deceived us and have been working for Dumbledore all along." All of the eyes in the room turned to face Severus and he knew his life was probably over. "Maybe I should put you under the Imperius curse, and then force you to kill Harry Potter. How would it feel, I wonder, to have to kill your own son?

Severus froze. He knew he had to get away from there as soon as he could or he would die. He knew that he had about ten seconds before everyone realized what was happening.

Without a moment's hesitation, he pulled out his wand and cast several Sectumsempra spells to distract the group before throwing down a stone of vanishing power. He apparated before the smoke even filled the room.

Severus found himself on a barren plain of rocks and dirt next to a lake. He tried to walk forward to assess where he was, but recoiled in pain. He realized that he had been hit with more stunning spells than he had initially thought. There were quite a few slashing curses as well and they left deep gashes in his skin. He collapsed to the ground as a result of his injuries.

Severus went to work, healing his wounds and downing a potion to counteract the effects of the stunning spells. He muttered "Vulnera Sanenteur" under his breath to heal the worst of the damage from the slashing spells.

When he was confident that his condition was stable, Severus finally gave into the pain and allowed himself to pass out.

**Well there you go; Chapter 1. What did you guys think? Let me know in a review. I hope this story has engaged your interest. Well, on to Chapter 2. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Well here's Chapter 2. Again reviews are encouraged. Hope you all enjoy. **

Disclaimer: I own nothing. J.K. Rowling owns all.

Chapter 2

Severus awoke sometime later when he heard the roar of what he could only assume, was a dragon. He opened his eyes and sat up. When he looked towards the sky, he saw a white dragon soaring over the lake. One could only imagine what a dragon was doing roaming the skies over Britain. As it neared the shore, Severus saw three figures jump from the back of the dragon and plunge into the lake.

For a moment, he thought that the divers would never ascend, but three heads surfaced soon after. The three figures swam towards shore and began to converse amongst themselves, although Severus could not hear what they were saying. He tried to move closer to them, but fell as a result of his injuries. Remembering that there was a pain-killing draught in his robes he uncorked the vial and downed its contents.

After some time, they started walking towards Severus. As they neared him, he could tell that the figures were none other than Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. As he watched Potter move closer to him, he found that he was unable to tear his gaze away from the boy. The recent revelations had greatly shocked him. He knew that Potter hated him, even before he killed Albus. It would take a great deal of patience and acceptance for the two of them to have the hope of being family.

The conversation that they were about to have was certainly not going to be a pleasant one. Sure Severus was more than willing to tell the boy everything, but whether or not the boy was willing to listen would be an entirely different story. Severus knew he would have to approach the subject with care.

"Look!" Miss Granger cried. "It's Professor Snape!" She met his gaze as she went to move closer to closer to him, but whirled around at the sound of Weasley's voice.

"Leave him Mione." Weasley called. "That bastard killed Dumbledore." Severus met Granger's gaze again.

"He knows. He knows…." Severus managed to croak out. Miss Granger moved to kneel beside him.

"Who knows what?" she asked. Severus got up and moved to sit on a rock.

"The Dark Lord." He informed them. "He knows I am a spy. He knows I have been on Albus' side form the beginning."

"Hang on." Potter said confusedly as he moved closer. "What do you mean on Dumbledore's side? You killed him! He trusted you!" His face held a complete look of shock. Severus was hurt to hear the accusation again. He shook his head. He knew the time had come to tell them everything. He looked his son in the eyes.

"Potter, I think the time has come to tell you the truth."

"Why should I believe anything you say? You're a traitor to us all. How do I know that you won't try to kill us or turn us over to You-Know-Who?" The boy spat.

"Because Potter." Severus stood. "I am the only living person who knows how to truly destroy the Dark Lord. If you wish to kill him once and for all, you will listen to me!" The boy remained silent, so Severus assumed he would listen.

"Do you remember the ring that Albus showed you?" The boy nodded. "It was attached to one of the Deathly Hallows: The resurrection stone. Albus wished to see his sister Arianna again. In his haste, he put the ring on without thinking. This caused a curse to be placed on him and it quickly began to spread. He would have died then if I had not been there to contain the curse."

"My efforts only managed to contain the curse to his hand for the time being. He knew he was going to die once the curse slowly spread through his body. I knew that one way or another, his time was short. The Dark Lord had already ordered Draco to kill Albus, and in order to keep my cover, I was forced to swear an unbreakable vow with his mother to aid him in his task."

"So Professor Dumbledore knew that Draco wouldn't kill him, so he asked you to do it in order to maintain your cover as a spy?" Granger asked inquisitively.

"Yes Miss Granger, that is correct. Though, it seems rather useless now that my cover has been blown. It pains me to think about having to kill Albus for nothing." Severus turned to his son. "Potter, know this. What happened in the astronomy tower was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. However, I have experienced much more painful things in my lifetime." His thoughts drifted to the moment he found Lily's dead body on the floor of her house in Godric's Hollow. "Do you finally understand Potter? I know this is hard for you to process, but it is the truth, whether you want to believe it or not."

"Yes sir." Potter swallowed. "It's just hard to process with everything that has happened in the last year."

"Now there are other things I have to explain, but those must wait until the Dark Lord has no Horcruxes left."

"Why?" Potter questioned.

"Because there will be no point if the Dark Lord remains invulnerable Potter! That's why!" Severus snapped, whirling to face away from the trio. It was evident that the boy inherited his stubbornness. He took a deep breath and turned back towards them. "Just how many Horcruxes have you found?"

"How could you possibly know about the Horcruxes?" Potter snapped.

"Albus trusted me with the knowledge of the Horcruxes so I could pass what I know on to you. If I really worked for the Dark Lord, I would not be bothering to tell you the information in the first place. Now how many are left." This time Weasley spoke hesitantly.

"We've destroyed Salazar's locket and we have the cup, but we haven't got a way to destroy it."

"And why is that, Weasley? What happened to the sword of Gryffindor?" Severus was beginning to lose his patience.

"How do you know about that?" Potter inquired. "There's no way you could know about that, unless... The doe patronus is yours." Severus felt an unaccustomed smile spread across his face.

"Very good Mr. Potter. Yes, I cast the doe. Albus asked me to steal the sword from Bellatrix's vault and place it at the bottom of the lake in the Forest of Dean. Now what happened to it?"

"Well," Potter began. "A goblin named Griphook helped us get into the vault, but he wanted the sword in return. Hermione thought that because the basilisk died at the school, we could use the fangs to destroy the Horcruxes. Also, there is another Horcrux at Hogwarts. All we know is that it has something to do with Ravenclaw house." Severus rubbed his chin. It seemed that there was never an easy way to do things when his son was around.

"I see." he sighed as he stood. "Well, it seems we must return to Hogwarts. You three should go through the secret passages, as there are dementors under the command of the Dark Lord. I need to take care of the Carrows."

"The Carrows, who are they?" Granger asked.

"Death Eaters sent by the Dark Lord to keep an eye on me. They are brother and sister. Alecto teaches Muggle Studies, while Amycus teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts. They truly are an insufferable pair. There is also the manner of explaining myself to the rest of the staff in the hopes that they will side with me. I will tell them much the same story I have told you. We should regroup in about a half an hour. Good luck."

"Wait!" Weasley cried. "We're going to trust Snape, the man that killed Dumbledore right infront of Harry's eyes."

"Like _Professor _Snape said," Granger began. "If he wanted You-Know-Who to win, he wouldn't be telling us this."  
Weasley wasn't convinced.

"So that's it then? We just have to take his word for it?"

"Got a better idea Ron?" Potter retorted."Good luck to you too Professor." The three of them grasped each other's hands and apparated away.

**Well, what did you guys think of that chapter? Let me know in a review. They are greatly appreciated.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Well here's Chapter 3. Again, reviews are encouraged. Hope you all enjoy. **

Disclaimer: I own nothing. J.K. Rowling owns all.

Chapter 3

When they had gone, Severus sat back down on the rock and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He still needed to inform the boy of his parentage. The even more pressing matter was to tell his son that he would have to give his own life to vanquish the Dark Lord.

Severus decided that he would tell Harry when they met at the castle. Severus paused in his thoughts. Had he just referred to Potter as Harry? Was it possible that he possessed the capacity to care for him? After all, Harry was his son, not James'. It made no sense for Severus to refer to him in such a way.

Shrugging off the thought, Severus apparated to the castle grounds. He strode through the doors, down the corridors and into the staff office. Conveniently, the four heads of house were all seated around the table. Pushing away his doubts, Severus approached them.

"Where are the Carrows?" He questioned.

"I expect they are wherever you told them to be Severus." Minerva answered coldly.

"I suppose they have informed the Dark Lord of my spying for the Order then." He said, sitting himself into a chair.

"What in the blazes are you talking about Severus?" Minerva asked incredulously.

"Do I need to spell it out for you Minerva? I am on Albus' side. I have been from the beginning."

"I don't understand Severus, you killed Albus." Filius joined the conversation.

"Yes I killed Albus, but he was already dying when I did. You all saw his hand last year. It was a result of a terrible curse and without my help he would have died the moment it was cast upon him."

"So Albus died at his own request." Minerva sighed.

"Additionally, I was made aware of a plot to kill Albus by the Dark Lord himself. The Dark Lord trusted Draco Malfoy with such a task. His mother came to me for help and I was forced to swear an Unbreakable Vow to aid Draco in his task. At that point, I knew I would have to kill Albus no matter what and that it was only a matter of time. The only reason that none of you were ever told was to keep my cover as a spy intact."

They were all silent once Severus finished his story. It was as if they were afraid to speak. Eventually it was Minerva who spoke.

"Severus, I had no idea. If I had known, I never would have-"

"There is no need to apologize Minerva." Severus interrupted, raising a hand to silence her. I never told you enough about my role to have you trust me, since I had a part to play."

"I never should have doubted you Severus!" Filius exclaimed.

"We should have put more faith in you." Pomona admitted. Severus was not used to such appreciation. The sheer awkwardness of it and the situation at hand prompted him to change the subject.

"There are more pressing matters to attend to." He announced as he rose from his chair. "The Carrows will most likely try to overrun the school now that they believe I am gone. They plan to ready the school for the Dark Lord's arrival. He plans to come here to kill Potter."

"But Mr. Potter is not here Severus." Minerva stated.

"He soon will be." Severus informed them. "We believe that a part of the Dark Lord's soul is in the castle and Potter is coming here to find and destroy it. We have to get the Carrows out of here and form the best defenses we can. Now where are the Carrows?"

"I saw them heading towards the Great Hall. There is a meeting there in seven minutes that requires the presence of all students and teachers." Pomona explained. Severus' facial expression became panicked.

"This is quite bad." Severus moved for the door. "I can only assume that they plan to torture the students to discover Potter's whereabouts." Three of the heads of house followed him out."

"Well don't just stand there Horace!" Minerva snapped as they left. The head of Slytherin house hobbled out of his chair.

"Oh yes. Sorry, just a little dazed. Don't wait up for me."

The professors dashed down the corridors until they reached the Great Hall. Severus strode past the numerous rows of students, not slowing his pace until he was face to face with the Carrows.

"Ah well if it isn't Severus Snape the traitor." Alecto snarled. "You will pay for your treachery."

"Amycus, Alecto, stop this now!" Severus was aware of the confused looks he received from the students. They were most likely shocked that their headmaster was no longer supporting the Carrows and genuinely concerned for their safety.

"Or what Snape?" Amycus retorted. He and Alecto reached for their wands.

"Or you will face the entire Hogwarts staff and we shall do everything in our power to stop you." Minerva declared as she, along with the other heads of house, strode up to join Severus.

"You'll have the Order's help as well Headmaster." A voice interjected from behind them. Professors and students alike turned around to face Harry Potter and most of the Order of the Phoenix. Severus breathed a sigh of relief. The Carrows were massively outnumbered.

The Order members advanced through the hall, coming to a stop behind the Headmaster and the other heads of house.

"Alecto, Amycus. I am warning you. Stand down." Severus gestured around him. "You are impossibly outnumbered." Amycus raised his wand, but Alecto raised her arm in front of her brother.

"No Amycus. We will retreat for now; we will kill them all later."

"Hmph, fine." Grumbled Amycus. The Death Eaters transformed into streams of black smoke and shot through the stain glass window behind them.

The hall broke out into an uproar of cheers and applause. Harry was grinning as he strode up to Severus.

"Was that enough of an entrance for you Professor?"

"Yes Potter that is enough for me." A scream erupted from across the room, then another and Harry started falling. Severus reached out to catch his son before he hit the stone floor.

"Potter, what's wrong?" His question was answered when the Dark Lord's voice rang out through the hall.

"I know some of you will want to fight. Some you may even think that to fight is wise, but this is folly. Give me Harry Potter. Do this and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter and I shall leave Hogwarts untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have one hour."

Severus helped his son to stand as the voice faded from the hall.

"Are you alright Potter?" He questioned. Harry nodded, though he looked very confused. Severus knew that his son was probably wondering why he cared. In fact, Severus knew that the Dark Lord made his speech through Harry, which was a result of Harry being a Horcrux. He was reminded that he needed to tell Harry everything. A voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Well don't just stand there." Pansy Parkinson cried. "Someone grab him." Ginny Weasley moved in front of Harry, and was joined by the other members of the Order.

The tension was interrupted by the caretaker Argus Filch, who came running into the hall shouting.

"Students out of bed, students in the corridor! Students-"

"They're supposed to be out of bed you blithering idiot!" Minerva snapped.

"Sorry mum." Argus said sheepishly.

"As it happens Mister Filch," She began, "Your arrival is most opportune. If you would, like you to lead Miss Parkinson and the rest of Slytherin house from the hall."

"And just where is it I'll be sending 'em to mum?"

"The dungeons would do." The hall erupted with applause. Even Severus had to grin about the fate of his house. House loyalties did not matter anymore. His only priority was to help Harry vanquish the Dark Lord. Minerva swept towards them as the Slytherins were led out of the hall.

"I know you are here for a part of You Know Who's soul. What is it that you need?"

"Time Professor, as much as you can get me."

"Do what you have to do. We'll secure the castle." Harry started out of the hall.

"Potter," Minerva smiled. "It's good to see you." he turned back to her.

"It's good to see you too Professor." he turned to Severus. "We'll talk later Professor Snape."

"You can count on it Potter." He turned on his heels and marched out of the hall with Minerva, Filius, Horace, and Molly.

"Longbottom, Finnigan!" Minerva called. "I need your help." _Oh lord._ Severus thought. _We're relying on Longbottom to help. _As if she sensed Severus' discontent, Minerva glared at him. He looked at her and pretended he didn't know what she was glaring about as she turned back to the seventh years.

"Walk with us you two." The pair followed the professors through the halls. "There are two main ways to enter the castle. Through the front courtyard and the bridge on the west side. We will secure the front courtyard, but I need you to destroy the bridge on the west side."

"Let me get this straight professor. You're actually giving us permission to do this?" Longbottom asked incredulously."

"Yes Longbottom, she is."

"To blow it up? Boom?"

"BOOM!" Minerva exclaimed.

"Wicked! But how on earth are we gonna do that?"

"Why don't you confer with Mr. Finnigan? As I recall, he has a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics." She joked.

"I can bring it down." Finnigan said confidently.

"That's the spirit, now off you go." She waved them off. Filius stepped up beside Minerva.

"You do realize of course, we can't keep out You Know Who indefinitely." He cringed.

"That doesn't mean we can't delay him." Minerva assured him. "And his name is Voldemort." Severus flinched. "Filius you may as well use it. He's going to try to kill you either way." Severus followed Molly, Horace and Filius towards the courtyard. He looked back at Minerva when he reached his position and nodded.

"Piertotum Locomotor." She waved her wand and the statues on the wall of the castle began to move and plunged to the ground below. The statues stood and began to march past Minerva and made their way toward the gates.

"Hogwarts is threatened. Man the boundaries. Protect us. Do your duty to our school." Minerva commanded. Severus could have sworn he heard her say something about always wanting to use that spell. He dismissed the thought as Filius began setting up the barriers.

"Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, Repello Inimicum." A blue jet shot from the Charms Professor's wand and into the air as Horace and Molly do the same. Severus also raised his wand.

"Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, Repello Inimicum." The blue lights from all four wands rose into the air and began to envelop the perimeter of Hogwarts. The charms formed a dome-like force field that would vapourize anyone who touched it.

He was genuinely impressed with the sheer size of the barrier itself, but wondered if it would be able to remain intact long enough for Harry to find the Horcrux.

About fifteen minutes later, Severus felt his left arm burn. Not a minute later, a mass of black figures appeared on a hill overlooking the castle.

"It's time to find out how well our defenses will hold up Minerva!" He shouted. "It's almost midnight. Have Lupin and the others taken their positions inside the castle." The Deputy Headmistress nodded.

They took up their positions in the courtyard and waited for the midnight hour to arrive.

**Well, what did you guys think of that chapter? Let me know in a review. They are greatly appreciated.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well here's Chapter 4. Again, reviews are encouraged. Hope you all enjoy. **

Disclaimer: I own nothing. J.K. Rowling owns all.

Chapter 4

When midnight arrived, Severus glimpsed a barrage of blue lights heading towards them. When they struck the barrier, it shook under the force of the onslaught. For several minutes, all that could be heard was the forceful rumbling of the spells hitting the forcefield. Severus thought that the barrier would hold out longer than anticipated until a massive spell, presumably from the Dark Lord himself struck it.

The forcefield began to dissipate and shreds of it started to drift towards the ground below. The massive crowd of Death Eaters charged the castle. Some flew in puffs of black smoke, while others charged down the cliff towards the bridge.

"Minerva! That didn't exactly last long did it?" Severus bellowed.

"We can only hope it gave Potter enough time."

They joined the battle, aiding as many of the students as possible. Severus shot a disarming spell at a Death Eater before they could cast the killing curse on a student. Within minutes, the courtyard became so immensely crowded that the fighting had turned into an all-out slaughter. The best option, Severus decided, was to place himself in a corner where he could see everything and there would be no attacks from behind.

An explosion was heard from the west side of the castle. Longbottom had done his job, but Severus could only hope that the boy hadn't gotten himself killed. He shook his head. _What is the matter with me?_ He thought, _Since when do I actually care what happens to Longbottom. Maybe this all a result of discovering that Harry is my son._

He shot several stunning curses at a Death Eater, but was forced to put a shield up to protect him from a round of the Cruciatus curse. With a flick of his wand, he cast two Sectumsempra curses at nearby Death Eaters. They both collapsed almost immediately.

He strode over towards the two men and looked at the faces of Avery and Mulciber. Mulciber was convulsing on the ground in a pool of his own blood, but Avery was already dead.

"Traitor…you...are…a…traitor." Mulciber spat just before his body relaxed and his eyes rolled back in his head. He was dead.

"The only treacherous thing I ever did was join the ranks of your kind." Severus said with bitter remorse as he looked down at the bodies of his former friends. The Dark Lord's voice filled the air once again.

"You have fought valiantly, but in vain. I do not wish this. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a terrible waste. I therefore command my forces to retreat. In their absence, dispose of your dead with dignity. Harry Potter, I now speak directly to you. On this night, you have allowed your friends to die for you, rather than face me yourself. There is no greater dishonor. Join me in the Forbidden Forest, and confront your fate. If you do not do this, I shall kill every last man, woman and child who tries to conceal you from me."

Severus raced from the courtyard to find his son, robes billowing behind him. In the Great Hall, teachers and students were working on collecting and identifying the dead. Harry, Granger and Weasley were gathered around a stretcher with the rest of the Weasley family. Molly had lost one of her sons. He strode towards Harry and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Did you find the Horcrux Potter?" his son nodded. "Then you must come with me. It is time for me to tell you the rest of the truth." They headed for the Headmaster's office.

When they reached his office, Severus moved for the pensieve in the corner. He held his wand up to his temple and a milky silver substance collected on it. He lowered the memory into the basin.

"When you have watched all of these memories, you will understand." Severus watched as his son plunged into the pensieve.

Harry felt himself falling deeper into the basin. He found himself in a field of grass, flowers, and one tree devoid of leaves. Two young girls stood next to him. One had brown hair and was dressed in plain brown clothes. The other had striking red hair and green eyes. Though Harry had never met her, he immediately knew who she was. It was his mother.

She held a daisy in her hand and was opening and closing it with magic. She continued to do so until the other girl, who Harry assumed was his Aunt Petunia, swatted the flower out of her hand. Lily ran up the hill behind her towards the large tree and Petunia followed her.

"Come here, come here Lily." Petunia shouted. "I'm going to tell Mummy. You're a freak. You're a freak Lily. She suddenly stopped walking and looked at Lily incredulously. It was only after Harry turned around that he realized what she was looking at.

A pale skinned boy stood by the tree. He had shoulder length black hair and a hooked nose. It was Snape. Petunia ran at the sheer sight of him. He turned to Harry's mother and introduced himself. They walked down the other side of the hill and strode through a small area of trees. Eventually, they came to a small pond and lay down under a cluster of trees.

"She's jealous." Snape said. "She's ordinary and you're special." His mother looked over him and frowned.

"That's mean, Severus."

Suddenly, the leaves from the trees were transfigured into dragonflies. As they filled the air, Harry wondered if Snape would tell him about his mother if he asked. He knew that he and the Potions Master had never seen eye to eye, but it was possible that Snape might be the closest living person to his mother.

The memory changed.

Lily was sitting on a chair in the Great Hall when the sorting hat cried out.

"GRYFFINDOR!" She hopped off of the chair and went to join the other Gryffindors at their table. Snape watched sadly as his mother and father met for the first time.

The scene changed.

Snape and Lily were walking down the hall carrying books. Snape's voice echoed through the hall.

"Just like your father. Lazy. Arrogant." James and Sirius came rushing down the hall, bumping both Lily and Snape as they went. The books toppled to the floor as Snape glared down the hall. James turned back and smirked at Lily, but was met with her sad gaze

Once again, Harry was shown the memory that he saw in Snape's pensieve. He knew what had happened and he knew what Snape had called his mother. . Harry wondered how his mother and father ended up together at Hogwarts. He was met with his answer when the next memory appeared. It turned out they weren't.

The memory changed to show Lily in a nightgown speaking with Snape outside Gryffindor Tower.

"I only came out here because Mary said you were threatening to sleep here." She said coldly.

"I'm sorry." Snape tried to apologize.

"Save your breath." Lily muttered.

"I never meant to call you Mudblood. It just_—_"

"Slipped out? It's too late. I've made excuses for you for years. None of my friends can even understand why even talk to you. You and your precious Death Eater friends… You've chosen your way, I've chosen mine." She started walking back towards the tower.

"Lily... I love you." Those words made her stop in her tracks. As the memory faded and the next one appeared, Harry knew that Snape's words had made all the difference. Snape and Lily were dancing in the Hogwarts courtyard before sharing a kiss.

The memory faded almost as soon as it appeared.

Snape and Lily were standing at the altar, both wearing dress robes. Snape was wearing robes of brilliant forest green, while Lily dressed in shining ivory robes. Snape looked happier than Harry had ever seen him. The priest closed his book.

"I now pronounce you man and wife: Mr. And Mrs. Severus Snape. You may now kiss the bride." Snape drew Lily in for a kiss as the onlookers cheered. The happy memory did not last as long as it should have, for it was quickly replaced with one that had quite opposite emotions behind it.

Snape was yelling at Lily with absolute agony on his features.

"You cheated on me with James and now you're marrying him? How could you do this to me?" He bellowed.

"Sev, you don't understand…." Lily pleaded.

"What's there to understand Lily? I never want to speak to you again." Snape swept away, throwing his wedding ring down as he left. Trelawney's voice echoed, "Servant and master shall be reunited once more! Voldemort's head appeared.

"Severus." He hissed.

"No don't kill me!" Snape pleaded. He appeared on a mountainside, facing Dumbledore.

"The prophecy did not refer to a woman. It spoke of a boy born at the end of July." The former Headmaster explained.

"Yes, but he thinks it's her son." Snape was in tears and Harry could hardly believe what he was seeing. "He intends to hunt them down now to kill them. Hide her. Hide them all. I beg you."

"What will you give me in exchange, Severus?" Dumbledore questioned. Snape's reply was simple.

"Anything."

The scene changed.

Lily was standing in front of a crib. Harry's crib. She was crying.

"Harry you are so loved. So loved. Harry, mumma loves you. Dada loves you. Harry be safe. Be strong." At that moment, Voldemort burst into the room.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" His mother fell as the scene dissolved.

Snape and Dumbledore were standing in the astronomy tower. Snape was leaning against the wall and tears were streaming down his face. Harry had never seen this side of Snape and it was both frightening and saddening at the same time.

"You said you would keep her safe." Snape cried.

"Lily and James put their faith in the wrong person Severus, rather like you." Dumbledore explained. "The boy survives."

"He doesn't need protection. The Dark Lord is gone!" He bellowed.

"The Dark Lord will return, and when he does the boy will be in terrible danger. He has her eyes." Snape looked up at that. "If you truly loved her."

"No one can know." Snape pointed a finger at Dumbledore.

"I shall never reveal the best of you Severus." He replied.

"Give me your word."

"When you will risk your life every day to protect the boy."

The memory shifted to show the first time Harry saw Snape, whose voice echoed.

"He possesses no measureable talent. His arrogance rivals even that of his father and he seems to relish in his fame."

"James Potter. Lazy. Arrogant." The memory dissolved.

"My father was great man!" the memory Harry retorted.

"Your father was a swine!" Snape cried as he threw Harry into a chair. The scene disappeared and Harry finally understood where Snape's hate for him came from. Snape loved Harry's mother and she left him for James. He knew that he looked like his father, so it was only natural that Snape would feel hate towards him. Harry felt sorry for Snape and maybe, just maybe he could forgive him for everything.

Another scene appeared. Dumbledore was sitting at his desk. Dumbledore's hand was blackened and a ring lay smashed on the desk, with the stone still intact.

"It will contain the curse to your hand for the time being, but it will spread Albus." Snape explained.

"How long?" Dumbledore asked with a grim expression on his face.

"Maybe a year." Snape moved swiftly away from the desk and headed for the door.

"Don't ignore me Severus." Dumbledore called. Snape stopped in his tracks and faced Dumbledore. "We both know Lord Voldemort has ordered the Malfoy boy to murder me, but should he fail, I should presume that the Dark Lord will turn to you. You must be the one to kill me Severus. It is the only way. Only then will the Dark Lord trust you completely.

Once again, Harry was forced to watch Snape kill Dumbledore. This time, however, he knew the truth behind Snape's actions.

"There will come a time when Harry Potter must be told something, but you must wait until Voldemort is at his most vulnerable."

"Must be told what?" Snape questioned.

"On the night Lord Voldemort went to Godric's Hollow to kill Harry and Lily Potter cast herself between them, the curse rebounded. When that happened, a part of Voldemort's soul latched itself onto the only living thing it could find: Harry himself. There's a reason Harry can speak with Snakes. There's a reason he can look into Lord Voldemort's mind. A part of Voldemort lives inside him." Snape's face was serious, but his expression soon became quite worried.

"So when the time comes, the boy must die?"

"Yes." Dumbledore sighed. "Yes, he must die."

"You've kept him alive so that he can die at the proper moment." Harry could feel Snape's rage. "You've been raising him like a pig for slaughter."

"Don't tell me now that you've grown to care for the boy." Dumbledore said. Snape pulled out his wand.

"Expecto Patronum." A silvery doe sprang from the tip of his wand. It pranced around the room before disappearing out the window.

"Lily!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "After all this time?" Snape was staring at the headmaster, a lone tear sliding down his face.

"Always."

There was a pause.

"So when the time comes, the boy must die?"

"Yes, and Voldemort himself must do it. That is essential. The memory changed.

Snape was talking to a ghostly form. It took Harry a moment to realize that it was his mother.

"No!" He cried, sinking to his knees. "It's not possible; he is the spitting image of Potter." Lily would not meet his gaze.

"Sev, I was the charms student in our year if you remember correctly. It only took a few glamour charms to conceal Harry's true appearance. His real name is Harry James Snape and he is your son."

Those words alone shocked Harry more than any of the memories before it. He was abruptly pulled from the memories and before he knew it, he was back in Snape's office.

Severus watched Harry resurface from the pensieve. He fell back onto the steps with a look of utter shock on his face. Severus moved to sit beside his son. There was a long silence until Harry spoke softly.

"How long?"

"I'm sorry?" Severus looked at him.

"How long have you known that you're my... father?" Severus sighed.

"About a day and a half." Harry looked shocked. "I found out just before my cover was blown. I spoke to Lily with the resurrection stone and she told me herself. Until then, I had always believed that you were Potter's son. As you have probably guessed, that is why I regarded you with such remorse. My heart broke when Lily left me, and for the person I hated most. I now know the truth about why she left." He paused for a moment.

"Shortly after we graduated from Hogwarts, we were married. I knew that a war with the Dark Lord was coming and I promised I would keep her safe. I would have been able to, but Albus requested my assistance as a spy for the Order. Everything went horribly wrong for me when I was forced to take the Dark Mark." Severus felt his breath catch in his throat, and was embarrassed at allowing his emotions to overcome him.

"I was called to a mission and was gone for quite a while. When I returned I found out that I was proclaimed dead. I found out that she married Potter shortly after and when I learned that she was pregnant I assumed the child was Potter's. When I went to Lily, She acted as though she wanted nothing to do with me. I was jealous. Why should Potter get to have what was supposed to be mine?" Severus clenched his fists, anger building up inside him. "It seems that nothing in my life has gone as planned. I wish that I could ask for your forgiveness, but it seems a little late for that."

"I can forgive you. The truth was hidden from both of us and I understand why you hated me for being James' son. I also know that you protected me on numerous occasions even when you thought I wasn't your son."

Harry did something rather unexpected. He leaned over and embraced the man he had hated for seven years, the man who was his father. Severus was shocked by the display of affection, but held his son. He knew that it was probably the last time he would get to do so.

"Harry. You are so much like your Mother. Besides having her eyes, you have the same kindness in your heart and the obligation to help people whenever you can."

"What was she like?" Harry asked longingly.

"She was the kindest person I have ever met and she was capable of finding goodness in everyone. When things were bad at my house, I could always sneak away to see Lily. She would listen to my troubles and try to comfort me. Even when we were at school and in different houses, we still remained friends despite the pressure from both of our houses. She even forgave me after the incident in our fifth year." The clock struck four, indicating that the Dark Lord would be expecting Harry.

"Harry, I wish I could tell you more, but it is time for you to go to the Forbidden Forest. You now know what you have to do."

"Are you sure that it's the only way?" Harry questioned. Severus sighed.

"I hate to admit it, but yes it is." They both stood and Severus embraced his son once more. Harry headed for the door, but stopped once he had opened it.

"Goodbye... Dad." It happened so quickly and in a moment, his son was gone. Severus found his heart breaking just as it had when Lily died. Harry had just acknowledged that Severus was his father and now Severus was about to lose the last person he cared for. Severus moved to sit down in his hair and buried his face in his hands.

**Well, what did you guys think of that chapter? Let me know in a review. They are greatly appreciated.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Well here's Chapter 5. Again reviews are encouraged. Hope you all enjoy. **

Disclaimer: I own nothing. J.K. Rowling owns all.

Chapter 5

Once he was composed, Severus swept from his office and headed for the Great Hall. Minerva was sitting on a bench sipping a cup of tea. Severus sat down beside her.

"How many did we lose?" He inquired.

"We've lost Lupin, Tonks, Septima, Lavender Brown, Fred Weasley, Colin Creevey, and fifty others we have yet to identify. This battle is not without loss Severus. Wait a minute. Where is Potter?"

"He has gone to the forest." Severus replied somberly.

"You let him go! What is there to accomplish by sending Potter to his death?"

"Actually Minerva, everything depends on it." The Head of House looked baffled. "The Dark Lord split his soul into seven pieces in order to gain immortality. He used a very rare form of Dark Magic called a Horcrux. Six of those Horcruxes were made intentionally. One was not. That Horcrux is Potter himself. In order to finally destroy the Dark Lord, Potter has to let himself be killed. Albus knew this and he raised the boy so that he could die later." The pair sat in silence until a voice called from the courtyard.

"You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters are coming across the bridge!"

Minerva and Severus raced for the courtyard to find Longbottom pointing towards the Dark Lord and about a hundred Death Eaters, Lucius and Cissy included. Ginny Weasley ran up towards Severus and Minerva.

"Neville, who is that? Who is it that Hagrid's carrying?" Severus looked at the Half-Giant only to find Harry slumped in his arms. His son was dead. The Dark Lord stepped forward, arms raised.

"Harry Potter is dead!" He announced.

"No!" Ginny screamed. The Dark Lord waved his wand and she was silenced.

"You stupid girl. Harry Potter is dead. From this day forward, you put your faith in me." He turned to his followers. "Harry Potter is dead!" The Death Eaters laughed. "Now is the time to declare yourselves. Come forward and join us, or die.

"Draco!" Lucius hissed. "Come." Severus watched as his Godson fearfully walked towards his parents. It was not fair for someone so young to be forced into joining the Dark Lord's ranks. Severus knew all too well how such an ordeal felt.

"Draco." He called. "I know you don't want this. You don't have to make the same mistake that your Father and I made." Draco looked at Severus, then at his parents, and back at Severus. Draco turned his back to his parents and moved to stand beside his Godfather.

"Ha ha!" The Dark Lord chuckled. "It seems your traitorous ways are spreading Severus. Have you told everyone your little secret?" Severus tensed. "I'll take that as a no. For those of you who don't know. Severus Snape and Lily Potter were together before my downfall. They had a son together, and that is none other than Harry Potter himself." There were several gasps and Severus felt as if all eyes were fixed on him.

"Severus!" Minerva gasped. "Is this true?" Severus could only muster the strength to nod. His son was dead and now everyone knew his biggest secret.

"How does it feel Severus?" The Dark Lord exclaimed. "To see your son dead?" Severus had to fight to keep a neutral expression. He was almost relieved when Longbottom strode towards the Dark Lord until they were only about six feet apart. Severus admired the boy's courage, but couldn't help thinking about the danger of him doing something stupid.

"Well I must say I'd hoped for better. And who might you be young man?" The Dark Lord inquired.

"Neville Longbottom." There were several laughs from the crowd.

"Well Neville, I'm sure we can find a place for you in our ranks."

"I'd like to say somethin'!" Longbottom interjected.

"Well Neville, I'm sure we'd all be fascinated to hear what you have to say." The Dark Lord fought to keep the anger off of his face.

"It doesn't matter that Harry's gone."

"Stand down Neville!" Finnigan exclaimed.

"People die every day!" He continued. "Friends, Family. Yeah, we lost Harry tonight, but he's still with us. In here." Longbottom gestured to his heart. "So are Fred, Remus, and Tonks. All of 'em. They didn't die in vain, but you will!" He pointed at the Dark Lord, who laughed in response. "Harry's heart did beat for us, for all of us. It's not over." He pulled the sword of Gryffindor out of the Sorting Hat.

At that moment, Harry's body fell from Hagrid's arms. By some miracle, it got up and started to move again. Severus could not believe his eyes. Harry was alive. His son was alive.

"Confringo!" Harry shouted. The curse ricocheted of Nagini and flew at the crowd of Death Eaters. His took off towards the main doors of Hogwarts along with Granger and Weasley. The Dark Lord apparated into the castle soon after.

Seeing that their Lord had failed them, the Death Eaters fled the grounds in a panic. Lucius and Narcissa also started to run from the castle.

"Lucius, Cissy!" Severus snapped as he started after them. "Don't be cowards. The Dark Lord has lost. There is no need to be fearful."

"Severus, you betrayed the Dark Lord." Lucius countered.

"You and I both know that you no longer support his methods. You fear him far too much. Stay and help us my friend and you may not be forced back into Azkaban. Think of your family Lucius. Draco doesn't deserve to be forced into this." He walked a few feet towards the castle and stopped. He turned back to the Malfoys. Slowly, Narcissa moved towards Severus. She was crying.

"He... He was alive, but I had to lie to... the Dark Lord because Potter saved Draco." She embraced Severus and sobbed.

"It's alright Cissy. Your actions saved my son."

"Why did you never tell us Severus?" asked Lucius, who had just joined the pair. Narcissa let go of Severus and stood next to her husband.

"I did not know until right before my cover as a spy was blown. I was just as shocked as you were." He turned to walk towards the castle.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" Lucius questioned.

"Excuse me?" Severus turned back.

"The muggleborn. After she died, you told the Dark Lord that there were other women of purer blood. You always loved her though, didn't you?"

"Always." A rumble brought the trio back to their senses. The Dark Lord and Harry were barrelling into the courtyard. "We best be getting into the castle. Severus drew his wand and made his way into the Great Hall, where the remainder of the battle was taking place. Severus made his way through the mass by shooting numerous stunning hexes at the Death Eaters in his way.

He reached the other side of the room to find the Weasleys dueling Bellatrix. Molly stepped in front of her children and engaged the dark witch.

"Not my daughter you bitch!" She cried and proceeded to push Bellatrix back until she could cast a full body-bind curse on her. With one final curse, Bellatrix was blasted into oblivion.

Severus grinned at Molly's tenacity until he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. He turned to find himself face to face with Nagini, poised to strike. He tried to back away, but tripped over a fallen body and fell backwards. He had always feared that the bloody great snake would be the death of him.

Just when he thought the massive snake was going to rip his throat out. Longbottom cleaved Nagini's head clean off with the sword of Gryffindor. The snake disappeared into a puff of smoke and for a moment everything seemed to go silent. Severus was stunned. Of all the people he could have pictured saving his life, Longbottom was definitely near the end of the list. Severus stood and clapped the young boy on the shoulder.

"Well done Longbottom. Well done." He raced for the front door. Harry and the Dark Lord were both trying to curse each other, but the wands remained locked together. The Dark Lord seemed to falter and the wand flew from his hand. Time seemed to slow as the wand flew through the air and landed in Harry's free hand. Harry was the true master of the Elder Wand. The Dark Lord collapsed to the ground and started to fade into dust.

The courtyard was silent as realization sunk in. The Dark Lord was gone. The battle was over. They had won. Better still, Harry was alive and now Severus would be able to have a family. For the first time in a long time, Severus was happy.

Harry ran to embrace Weasley and Granger and Ginny as well. Harry then strode over and pulled Severus into a tight embrace.

"I guess now we have a chance to start over then." He smiled at his father.

"I would want nothing more than that." Weasley and Granger came to join them.

"I suppose this means we'll be seeing a lot more of you Professor." Weasley smirked.

"Obviously Weasley." He sneered.

"By all means Professor, call us by our first names." Granger insisted. "Your son is our best friend after all.

"Indeed Hermione. Indeed." Severus conceded.

"Just one question Harry." Ron piped up. "How did you get to be the master of the Elder Wand? I mean, it was Snape who killed Dumbledore."

"Don't remind me." Severus grumbled.

"He may have," Harry interjected," but it was Draco who disarmed Dumbledore that night in the Astronomy Tower. After that, the wand answered to him. Until, the other night when I disarmed Draco at Malfoy Manor. So, it's mine."

"That's the Elder Wand." Ron announced. "The most powerful wand in the world. With that, we'd be invincible."

Harry wasn't paying attention to what Ron was saying. He took a side of the wand in each hand and, in one swift motion, snapped it down the middle. He threw both pieces over the edge of the bridge.

"But...but...but." Ron stuttered. "Why?"

"It had to be done." Severus admitted. To have such a powerful wand in the wizarding world would only be a danger. Harry stepped up behind his two friends.

"It doesn't matter now. Voldemort's gone." Severus found that for the first time he did not flinch when someone spoke the Dark Lord's name. "Everything is going to be okay from now on."

Severus rolled up his left sleeve and found that the mark on his arm had already started to fade.

"Yes." He affirmed. "Everything is going to be fine."

**Well, what did you guys think of that chapter? Let me know in a review. They are greatly appreciated. Just the epilogue left now.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well here's the final chapter of this story. Again, reviews are encouraged. Hope you all enjoyed the story thus far and hope you enjoy this final chapter. **

Disclaimer: I own nothing. J.K. Rowling owns all.

Chapter 6

19 years later...

Severus entered King's cross station, along with Harry and Ginny. They were followed by three children. James Sirius Snape was about to enter his second year at Hogwarts, while Albus Severus was about to enter his first year. Lily Luna was still a bit young for Hogwarts, but it would not be long before three Snape children would be learning about the wonders of magic. Albus looked at Severus as they came to the barrier. He had the same striking green eyes as both Harry and Lily.

"Together?" He asked nervously. Severus nodded.

"Together." He held onto Albus' trolley as the two of them crossed through the barrier to get to platform nine and three quarters.

Severus knew that Albus was nervous about his sorting. James had teased the boy enough about being sorted into Slytherin. Severus had assured Albus that he would find success in both houses. Albus looked up to Severus, partly because he was named after him, and there was no one that he confided in more.

Severus caught sight of the Malfoy family. Draco was embracing his son Scorpius.

"Why don't you go with your father Albus? I will be along in a moment."

"Okay Grandpa Sev." He wheeled his trolley over towards his parents. Severus walked over to meet with the Malfoys

"Good morning Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco. Just sent young Scorpius off then."

"Yes sir. Will you still be teaching Potions?" Draco inquired.

"Naturally." He replied coolly.

"So Severus, which house will young Albus be placed in? Maybe Slytherin with Scorpius." Lucius debated.

"I honestly don't know Lucius." He responded. He has both Slytherin and Gryffindor in his family so it could very well be either. I should get going. I have to say good bye to Albus before he leaves."

"We shall see you later then." Lucius declared.

Severus carried on to meet up with his family. Albus and Harry were kneeling.

"Dad, what if I am put in Slytherin?"

"Albus Severus Snape, you were named after two Headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them, your Grandfather, was a Slytherin and he is the bravest man I've ever known."

"You're right Dad. If get put in Slytherin, Grandpa Sev will be my Head of House. Thanks."

"No problem son." Harry embraced Albus. Severus came to hug Albus goodbye.

"You better not be calling me Sev when I'm teaching you or there will be trouble young man. You'd better go. The train will be leaving soon." He ruffled Albus' hair. The young boy headed through one of the side doors of the train and went to join his brother. Severus put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Think he'll choose Slytherin then?"

"I know he will." Harry replied. "He idolizes you, after all." Severus smiled. As the train pulled out of the station and he waved goodbye to his grandchildren, he reflected on all that had happened in the last nineteen years. If anyone told him that he and Harry would ever get along, he would have told them that they were greatly mistaken. Yet, here he was standing beside his son and feeling happier than he ever had. He gained a family he never knew he had and he was free of the Dark Lord's influence. He saw Harry's hand move to his forehead.

Neither Harry's scar nor his Dark Mark had pained them in nineteen years. All was well.

**Well, what did you guys think of that chapter? Let me know in a review. They are greatly appreciated. The story has come to an end. Thanks to the suggestion of a reviewer, who I can only thank an unnamed guest, I have decided to write a prequel to this story about Sev/Lily. It will cover the events from the incident in fifth year to just after the first fall of the Dark Lord. **

**Until next time, Ciao**

**A.E. Adelinda **


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